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The State of Boredom

Updated: Jan 25, 2023

What are you doing at this moment? Reading this article. Right? Were you surfing the net when you came across it? Did it catch your attention, or were you just bored and randomly clicked it? Has the thought ever crossed your mind as to "What is boredom?" or "Why do people get bored?"


Studies related to this topic are pretty recent, and they come with results that are anything but boring. So let’s get some insight ourselves, shall we?


Boredom is a state of mind, and a commonly felt one. Boredom occurs when you are disinterested and dissatisfied with any activity, feel unable to concentrate on the task at hand, or do not have any place to direct your energy. Children and adolescents are more likely to suffer from boredom.


It's such a common thing we've all experienced in our lives, but how many of us really try to understand the science behind it? As a matter of fact, did you know that boredom can be of different types as well?


Types of Boredom

The types of boredom are:


Indifferent

This is pretty much what the name suggests—the person is indifferent to the world. They are relaxed, calm, and withdrawn from the world. In some sense, they are cheerful but also fatigued and lacking energy.


Calibrating

This might seem familiar; in this type of boredom, the person wants to do something other than what he is currently doing but does not know what. This usually occurs when one performs repetitive activities and wants an alternative.


Searching

While experiencing this kind of boredom, a person starts actively looking for new things to do and tasks to perform. This is caused by a prolonged period of boredom, resulting in extreme negative emotions. It might cause restlessness and distress, which leads the person to look for some activity or hobby to take up.


Reactant

This one might just be the worst of all. It is commonly experienced when you find yourself in a situation that is so dull that you want to escape it at any cost. It is mostly experienced at school or work. It can cause a lot of negative emotions, including restlessness and aggression.


Apathetic

This type of boredom has been more recently researched. This type of boredom makes the person not experience any emotion, hence making them apathetic. It is more like helplessness that paves the way to depression. It is mostly experienced by high schoolers and college students.


Some Causes of Boredom

There can be a lot of things that can cause boredom. Here are some most important ones:


Monotony in the Mind

When we are engaged in an activity that does not excite us much or is something we have been doing for a long time, we feel bored. The predictability of a situation and lack of stimulation make a situation boring for us and mentally exhaust us.


Lack of Autonomy

When one feels trapped in a situation, they might feel constrained. They may want to do things according to their will but cannot, which leads to their being bored.


Inner Amusement Skills

Some people lack the inner skills to amuse themselves, which leads them to depend on external stimuli for their amusement. A lack of satisfactory external stimulus leads to boredom.


Dementia

Dementia is a neurocognitive disorder that is most common in older people. The individual suffering from dementia experiences a decline in cognitive functions like memory, thinking, language, judgment, and behavior. This inability to perform basic cognitive functions might lead to boredom.


Effects of Boredom

Boredom can affect you in different ways:


Physical Impact

Boredom might make us stagnant and feel exhausted and drained. We might experience a lack of appetite. Unhealthy eating habits and a lack of exercise can affect our physical and mental health equally.


Depression

In some extreme cases, prolonged boredom can lead to depression. But depression can also cause boredom. It ends up being a vicious cycle. So it is important to get up, walk around, breathe, and do something that stimulates your brain.


Impulsivity

Chronic boredom can also lead to impulsive behavior. These behaviours might also be risky, for example, rash driving. Your mind may want a dopamine rush or a serotonin boost, and a speedy drive through the highway will certainly give you that adrenaline rush. It can also result in addictions like those to alcohol, smoking, and compulsive gambling.


Creativity

Boredom is not always a bad thing. When we feel bored, we tend to look for activities that will entertain us. Draw? Paint? Read a book? Cook a new recipe? Boredom will lead us to try out new activities and give us a boost of creativity.


Appreciation for Excitement

Only when we have dull days do we appreciate the sunny ones. Similarly, when we experience a little bit of boredom in our lives, we appreciate the exciting, fun moments we have had and look forward to them, as well as try to enjoy every exciting moment we get in the future.


Self-understanding

Sometimes, when we are bored and have nothing whatsoever to do, we might start something new. Develop skills and realise we can do so much more than just be cooped up in a corner. Boredom can lead to self-discovery and the enhancement of already-existing skills.


Conclusion

Being bored sometimes is not harmful; it might even be a good thing, but long-term boredom, especially in adults, can cause adverse health effects. So the next time you get bored, think about this article and get the wheels of your mind running. Go cook a new dish, take a walk in the park, talk to your friend or family, read a book, doodle away in your notebook, and do anything but be bored.


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